Well…this is interesting. Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons will play Alfred Pennyworth in Zack Snyder’s Batman/Superman movie. I think this works. I do.

Eisenberg played Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network to great critical acclaim and I get the feeling he’ll bring that kind of smarm to the role of Lex Luthor. Luthor has never been a physical villain (how could he be a match for Superman?), so he’s a decent fit – even if I think he’s a touch too young (but maybe I’m getting old).

As for Jeremy Irons – I think he’s great casting. He has enough dry humour to bring Alfred Pennyworth to life. I always felt that Michael Gough never really got to shine as Alfred in the Burton/Schumacher films but Michael Caine got to give him more character in the Nolan movies. It looks like this will continue.

Here’s what the studio had to say on Eisenberg’s casting:

“Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavoury reputation preceding him since 1940,” Snyder said in Warner Bros’ announcement of the castings today. “What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”